As an Italian from Parma (slightly North of Fivizzano) I would add one thing to the checklist: have a look at the place in autumn and winter. A wet autumn on the Appennines can be really cold and wet, particularly in a stone house. And some villages get regularly snowed in in January and February. Not planning to be there in cold weather? Well, let's hope you find a way to prevent the pipes from freezing. And so on. I love the mountains, but there is a reason why mountain villages are getting depopulated: the logistics frequently stink.

Thank you for being transparent about actual costs and fees. So many people talk about doing it but don't disclose actual costs.

For many, many years my late husband and I would go twice a year to a small town in Italy, Montecatini, which is only half an hour from Florence, and stay in a lovely hotel for two weeks of fabulous food, fabulous trips all over Tuscany, incredible shopping and the warmest of warm welcomes from the owners of the hotel. We became friendly with others who also appeared twice a year during the time we were there and ended up being one big family. I believe this was way better than owning a house and gardens which would need continuous upkeep...incurring expenses and a lot of bother. In fact, I believe we had the best bargain...we were living in Tuscany with no worries except where to have our mid morning coffee break and what to buy in one of the exquisite boutiques of this little town.

Here in Australia my good neighbour still owns her home in the Italian village where she grew up. She spends the Australian winters back there. She said she doesn’t shut off the electricity when she’s away as it takes so much time to have it reinstated when she visits. She didn’t get back for the last two winters because of COVID. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for her that 2022 will be better.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. So many people are uncomfortable about sharing costs so an extra thank you for that. It helps to put things in perspective and really know what to expect. I look forward to watching you continue this journey.

I love seeing an entrepreneurial woman making her own dreams a reality.

I am now sitting in a Starbucks near Tortona, Italy, watching this. Yes.. Simply love Italy too! Will probably need a lifetime to fully explore this beautiful region 😀

I'm so so so sooooo happy to find your chanel, we moved to Italy 2 years ago with my husband and 2 kids and we're struggling to buy a house and the location is a big problem for us. Our dream is to live and raise our kids in campagna. Watching videos like yours inspires me to keep dreaming until i reach my dream ❤️❤️❤️❤️

0:58 those Italian tiles feel so nice when they begin to just slowly warm up from the cool morning air. Italy does things right.

I love watching your adventure in your new Italian home! Can't wait for the next video!

I go to Italy tomorrow and even before getting on the plane, I get the feeling that it’s the first of several trips. ❤

Wow great info. Thank you for being so open and honest about everything. I’m happy that you have this nice warm place to go to when you need rest. Beautiful

So nice of you to share your journey :) Gosh from illinois to a castle and then on to a vacation home in Italy...You are living the dream~ Jeannette

Great to see you again. I enjoyed you in “Ladies of London.” Thanks for this. Living in Italy is a dream. I am living vicariously through your videos!

This is all such valuable information, and answers so many of the questions that we have. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with your wonderful little home!

Absolutely love seeing your house in Italy. Please share more videos of the renovations and surrounding areas. You are mastering the language so quickly! Thank you, Julie.

I am SO grateful for your willing to share your actual numbers and the full picture here. It really helps know if this is something I can do too...all those little costs add up to be a lot! SO SO grateful you shared your real picture here Julie. 🙏🏼 Thank you! 🧡

I love Italy! I keep trying to get my hubby to buy a house in Italy. I’m so glad you did this video. We’ve been to Tuscany several times and that’s my favorite place.

Just found this video on KZfaq. I feel the same way about Italy as you feel. Lunigiana region has its own corner in my heart🤩 Congratulation to your house and the courage to make a dream come true.

How exciting for you! Can't wait to see your little house all renovated. I lived in Southern Bavaria while I was in the Army Medical Corps. I still miss the church bells we'd always hear from our flat at the edge of the forest. We could look over the village from our huge front window and watch for deer, and the occasional hedgehog to wander through the backyard from the big slider in the back.

This is absolutely lovely! Love the proximity to the center of the town. TY for sharing this so transparently, especially the cost. We started building our little dream home just before the pandemic hit. We broke ground on March 12th and everything shut down on March 16th. What an adventure, though!

I am on this path to making a purchase in Italy, and I so appreciate all of this information!

Such a pleasure to get a clear picture of a complex process from a highly organized person with no agenda other than to inform others based on her own experience! Good job, M'lady!

We are in the process of choosing our Italian home. Thank you for breaking this down and sharing it - many people hide this info and/or charge for it. Ti ringrazio!!

I’m Italian and I’ve understood with you how to do! Thank you!! I’m always stopped the step before notary!! Thank you so much!

thank you so very much for creating this video! buying a house in Italy has been a dream of mine for some time now, but I had no idea it was this affordable. i really appreciate you sharing some of your details with us about costs, and really, you have no idea how helpful you have been. thank you!

Thank you for the transparency. This is valuable information to those of us who dream of a home in Italy. My husband and I enjoy watching your videos. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Julie you are an absolute gem 💎! Thank you so much for sharing with us in details . You won’t find people like you too often these days - honest and willing to help ❤️

Julie, I look forward to all your videos. Thank you.

Huge "Thank you" to you, Julie, for describing the home buying process and sharing the details! very informative and inspiring! Maybe my dream will come true...Because of you.

I have watched this a few times actually. I’m trying to buy a small property and you do such a great job of explaining the costs! Love your little house.❤

I loved this. Mostly because of her transparency. So glad you found a good place to live in Italy. Thank You SO MUCH for sharing.

Congratulations Julie! Great comprehensive video...thumbs up. It also puts so many things on perspective a whole house in Italy for 150K WoW, that won't buy not even parking space in L.A

Thank you so much for such a helpful video, Julie. I have always wanted to buy a house in Italy and after watching your video I feel like I might be able to make this dream a reality one day :)

I’ve always wondered how properties are purchased in other countries. You really were quite in depth and i appreciate it. The bells are so beautiful and the views…WOW!!!Thank you! Enjoy your home!

Agree with the other comments; thank you for the insight and being so forthcoming with the details. Wife and I are currently researching locations in italy with international school options. During your video it made me realize that a home finder agency may be able to help or provide resources to aid with our search. Working remote is great, but with a family the options can be somewhat of a challenge. Thanks again for sharing!

Such valuable information, Julie! You made it so easy to understand and so much more relatable. When I watched your original video showing your Italian home, I thought how beautiful it all was but there would be no way I could afford something like that. It was just a dream. But, you made it seem possible. Thank you so much, Julie! And I can’t wait to see another video of your beautiful home! 🌸🌸

I agree with all you have said in this interesting vlog. Do not forget that the notary is essential because legally the notary must carry out legal and cadastral checks on the property !

That brings back memories. We had a house in Virgoletta for 13 years and visited Fivizanno many times. Il giardino restaurant was a favourite. Happy days.

You just made up my mind. I was born in Venice and been thinking about going back. Your video helped me decide to go back. Thank you e Ciao a tutti

As always, it’s a pleasure to watch, listen, & learn from all your videos! Your genuine easy going personally is very relatable & entertaining! Plus, you pass on very useful & honest opinions! Thank you!!

This is a terrific video! Anyone who is thinking of buying a house in Italy will have a very clear understanding of the process.I love the way your brain works! You explain things beautifully! I hope you have many happy years in your home!!! Thank you for the beautiful picture of You and Luke at Mapperton!!! it was so thoughtful of you to send it to me!! I'll always treasure it!! Love from Vermont

I love that you built a plan and went and got what you wanted. Kudos.

Beautifully presented and we all appreciate the transparency. I love the church bells too. Many towns in Europe have turned them off except at specific times of day.

So exciting for you! Great to follow your dreams. 🦋

Compliments on an excellent video and in discussing real costs. I bought in Italy about 4 years ago and it has been the adventure of a lifetime! If you are considering this, I recommend you watch this video a few times to simplify the process in your mind .Her advice is excellent and realistic.

Thank you from 🇨🇦 your honest transparency is so helpful. I love all your channels! I’m so happy I found you. Keep up the brilliant work!

Thank you! I can't even begin to say how much this helps me. Enjoy your Italian adventure!

Thank you for sharing the process Ms. Montagu.

This is great. You shared all the details of what every one would want to know to do this including the most important part, costs.

This is the EXACT video I've been looking for. Thank you very much. Super informative.

Watched your content with pleasure and Love. Thank you for being transparent and very helpful on braking down all spending and costs of project!! Enjoy your lovely house. It's magnificent 💖🙏🏻

I loved this episode. I can relate to how excited you were to buy your little villa, Julie. I felt the same excitement and tingles when I bought my little beach house in Florida, ALL BY MYSELF☺️ Julie, I wish you so much joy in your new vacation home. May you and your family make many happy memories there!

That was so informative! Thank you for sharing the specifics of buying in Italy (would love to be in that market right now). I look forward to more of your renovation videos!

Way to go! Just like the movie! Amazing that you made your dream happen! I also love Italy....thank you for sharing and being detailed about the cost....

Thank you so much! This was a great video explaining all of the little things one needs to move forward with their dream of living in Italy

I appreciate how generous you are with the details. It's so nice to understand how things happen. It makes it seem more possible for others! Thank you, Julie, and congratulations on your beautiful house!

Julie, thank you for being so honest, clear, and transparent. I am currently considering a house in Abruzzo, and this video tracks well with information that I've gotten. But you giving prices of things really helps put a purchase into perspective. And I love your renovation so far! Can't wait to see the rest.

I've visited the country of Italy and loved it. I am retired and if possible I would love to live there. Thank you for sharing the coats. Your home is beautiful. Congratulations dear lady.

You are so kind so share the details with the rest of us, who may be thinking, dreaming, or even planning. Thank you Julie. PS: Love the Aga.

Julie, you inspire me to no end. Each and every time I watch a video I feel as though I can just do anything! Thank you for sharing this with us! From Ga, 🇺🇸

Lots of info and sage advice Julie! 🌷

This honestly gave me hope , I thought you were going to say some crazy number for the price of the house but it wasn’t crazy at all , such a great home !

Thank you Julie!! Sincere and transparent information… presented well.. much appreciated!!

Best video I have watched on this topic! Thanks, Julie!

Thank you so much for sharing this information Julie. I've been wondering the "how much" for a very long time as I'm getting ready to embark on my dream of living in Italy for a year! Thank you!!!!🙏

What a lifestyle from the designer's life practice, inside out shows what's integrity all about.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and information on purchasing your Italian home. I wish you all the best and I look forward to seeing the renovations when you are done!

Thank you so much for the breakdown of all of the specific steps and prices! Super interesting!!

I had an apartment in Sardinia, Italy during my military years. One thing I learned was that the houses there didn't have properly sealed windows. So every night it can get pretty cold in a home. Winters get very cold. So I had to get a heater in every room.

WOW! Thank you for the wonderful detail ( I would not have anticipated translation fees etc) - many vloggers don't like to share things related to costs so it was very much appreciated!

Thank you Julie! It is a very useful video, I especially like that you shared price of everyting so buying a house in Italy became more solid 👍🏼

So very helpful to see this. I really appreciate your transparency and sharing. I want to do this in England. I know the process would be different, but I love seeing that it’s possible to do in another country from afar. Cheers! It’s fun to see your journey.

Congratulations on realizing your Italian living dreams! And thank you for sharing!

Julie - thank you for sharing your experience; this is valuable info for others to start their journey. Glad you are happy w/the outcome - looks like you did alright and then some. Thanks for laying out the process and sharing the home hunters link, too.

We left 'crazy' land and moved to Italy in 2021 - no regrets here. Keep up the good work

THANK YOU for sharing! A very good video and advices. Your House look so cute and the location is fantastic. Enjoy Italy !! 😊🌻🌻🌻

Well done. You are living the dream and making the most of life. I live in SE Asia and have language barriers myself. My wife and I bought a building and purposely got a small mortgage with a bank. The reason is that we know there will be no chance of dodgyness when it comes to the documents and getting it in our name. We can pay off the mortgage anytime and then we know its in our names. If we had of paid cash I would have worried about corruption. I know its rare but it can happen anywhere especially when the seller and officials know we are outsiders. I see it as insurance.....

Great video, thank you for sharing and yes thank you for being honest about costs for both purchase and renovation.

Great information! Thanks for sharing. So down to earth. Hope you enjoy the home for many many years ☺️

Fantastically useful vid Julie, exactly what I was looking for.

Thank you Julie for sharing the cost of finding, buying, mortgaging your Italian home along with taxes, etc. I've looking for my Italian home in Umbria, Spoleto is my location but will be looking at Assisi (may be too touristy for me) next May when I go back. Providing this information is helpful in understanding all the costs. I look forward to other vlogs on your process of renovating your Italian casa. Grazie Mille.

You are awesome. This is the stuff that no one talks about. Well done!

What a beautiful house you got! Thanks for sharing your dream come through finding your house in Italy. It is very inspiring for me because is also my dream!!!

This channel just popped up as a recommendation. Wonderfully unique perspective on your channel. You're living a magical dreamlike life, yet breaking down the costs, etc in a realistic way.. that makes it all seem possible to everyone ( if they dare to dream and then take action :)

I’m so glad I found you. I’m retired & hope to move from the US to Europe, and I hear from well traveled persons that Italy is wonderful! Your property looks awesome! Thanks so much for all the great details on buying, it’s appreciated a lot!

Thank you for sharing such a lovely home in NW Tuscany with so many valuable tips on finding and buying a home within a reasonable budget and reliable help! Right on!!! Warmest wishes to you! Catherine from Arizona

Thank you. That was a really helpful overview of the complexities that are involved in buying a house there. Enjoy your cool house !

Thank you for showing us your beautiful house. That’d be my dream, to buy a tiny house in a quaint small town in Italy.

Admiration Julie from Los Angeles, California. You are such a Go-Getter!

A great video! Sharing $ information is so appreciated. So many people won't share the $ aspect of purchasing and I love how you laid it all out.

Congratulations on your wonderful home. Thank you for the practical tips and inspiration!

I will retire this year and this was exactly the extra information I needed about Italy and buying a home there. Thanks so much.

I personally think it is amazing to do that. Buying your own home is a sense of accomplishment. Good for you Julie👏🏻

So much precise info...lady, you mean business! Thank you & best of luck!

This is great information! My brother bought a little apt there and was explaining some of the details. I’m so excited for your tiny house!!

Best video on this subject I've watched. Thank you. I am looking at the areas just outside Pietrasanta which I believe is where your house is, would love to hear more about your area as you discover it all!

Julie, your confidence and voice shine in this real estate and your yoga videos. Great agency💪👏

Thank you for sharing information and your experience, so informative and inspiring!!! I enjoy watching your videos, they are so entertaining.

Very important information-thank you for sharing! Love what steps you took in the process.